Contact: Dawn O'Polka 509-837-1543
Toppenish, WA, January 16, 2018 - Astria Health welcomes Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord MD, Board Certified General Surgeon, to Astria Toppenish Hospital and Astria Sunnyside Hospital.
Dr. Alvord comes to the Yakima Valley from Page, AZ and with 30 years of experience as a general surgeon. She attended medical school at Stanford University School of Medicine in California where she also completed her residency in General Surgery as Chief Resident.
As a member of the Navajo Tribe, Dr. Alvord grew up in a small, remote town on a reservation near the Four Corners in New Mexico. Despite a humble background, Dr. Alvord is the first Navajo woman to become a General Surgeon. She was also nominated by the National Indian Health Board and the National Congress of American Indians to be Surgeon General of the United States.
Her past medical experience includes six years of working with Native American patients with Indian Health Services, as well as academic medicine experience. Dr. Alvord has served as a professor and assistant professor for medical students at Dartmouth Medical School, Central Michigan University, the University of Arizona and John Hopkins School of Public Health.
“I can offer an understanding of diverse cultures and religious practices, with a personal touch” said Dr. Alvord.
Dr. Alvord looks forward to being able to continue following her passion by serving patients here in the Yakima Valley. “I chose Astria Health because the people that provide care here have very strong training, excellent experience, and not just in healthcare, but experience working with people from rural backgrounds. Sometimes people who work in rural areas have a sense of caring that has more depth,” said Dr. Alvord. “The care here is very good, but the caring is even better.”
Dr. Alvord will practice at the Astria Health Center in Toppenish and Sunnyside and will perform surgeries at Astria Toppenish Hospital and Astria Sunnyside Hospital.
Eric Jensen, CEO of Astria Toppenish Hospital said, “We are so pleased to have Dr. Alvord join our staff at Astria Toppenish Hospital and look forward to the expertise that she will be bring to the Valley."
Dr. Alvord, along with her spouse Jonathan Alvord, who is a Physician Assistant, are both dedicated healthcare providers and look forward to helping improve the health of both Toppenish and Sunnyside communities.